Massachusetts passed some of the toughest guns laws in the nation in 1998, but statistics show that since then, the number of gun-related crimes committed in the state has risen.

The Boston Globe reports that in 2011, Massachusetts recorded 122 gun-related homicides, almost double the 65 in 1998.

According to an FBI analysis, there were increases in other crimes involving guns in Massachusetts, too. From 1998 to 2011, aggravated assaults with guns rose almost 27 percent while robberies with firearms increased almost 21 percent.

Gun-rights groups say the statistics are evidence that gun control does not work.

But gun-control advocates point out that many of the gun-related crimes are committed with weapons bought out of state, particularly New Hampshire and Maine, where gun-buying laws are less restrictive.

Notice the last paragraph. It’s easy to pass right by the explanations since often we scan the articles. But this excuse is in vogue and it pays to pause a bit and reflect on what they say.

“Weapons brought in from out of state … where gun-buying laws are less restrictive.” The excuse they’re offering up is that Massachusetts residents are actually going across state lines to purchase handguns since the laws in Massachusetts are so restrictive.

This violates federal laws and it’s not happening, at least not with FFLs. So if it’s not happening with FFLs, the only other option would be that they’re blaming person-to-person sales. But that’s illegal across state lines for handguns too without transferring the weapon through an FFL.

So their explanation reduces to people who violate the law are bringing guns into Massachusetts, which in reality means that no set of laws anywhere will work to stem the flow.

What these people always fail to explain is why the neighboring jurisdiction that is awash with guns doesn’t suffer from the same level of violence. For example, I live in Northern Virginia which has a very low violent crime rate yet has very “easy availability of guns” yet across the river in DC with its draconian gun laws violent crime is off the charts. It ain’t the guns, it’s the people.

As someone else put it so eloquently, it’s a software problem, not a hardware problem.